Young pianist gets Symphony spotlight

The concert to talk about has arrived when the Tulare County Symphony brings "The Russia House" at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Visalia Fox Theatre. Join us as two of the great Russian composers, Shostakovich and Mussorgsky, fill the theater with their brilliance and imagination with soloist Steven Lin on piano.

The amazing musicality of Steven Lin comes as no surprise as he was accepted on full scholarship to Juilliard's PreCollege Division at 10 years old. Upon winning numerous competitions, he went on to debut with the New York Philharmonic at the tender age of 13. If he seems familiar to you, that is because he performed with the Tulare County Symphony last season.

"I loved Steven and his performance of the 'Tombeau de Liberace' last season," conductor Bruce Kiesling said. "'The Tombeau' is a charming work, but a bit off the beaten path. So as a thank you to him (and as a special treat for our audience), I thought it would be nice to have him back for the charming and youthful Shostakovich concerto. A wonderful artist, and great guy all around, I know our TCSO family will love having him back."

Indeed, rave reviews come from everywhere for Lin

"Lin, 25, is a muscular poet of the keyboard. He coaxes a wide range of expression out of his instrument with power and precision in almost equal measure. His playing offers sparkling virtuosity; unaffected, highly musical phrasing; and thoughtful interpretations blessedly free of mannerism," the Washington Post wrote.

The Shostakovich will be a fitting performance for the young pianist, as the composer himself wrote the piece for his 19-year-old son, Maxim. "The Piano Concerto No. 2" is described as a gloriously free, wistful creation, full of fun and embedded with family references and jokes.

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

The grand second half of this concert is Mussorgsky and Ravel's "Pictures at an Exhibition."

"Simply put, it is one of the greatest orchestral works ever written," Kiesling said. " [It] is nothing short of a tour de force for the orchestra. It is an amazing and thrilling work that takes the listener through an art gallery experiencing a series of different images. These images are illustrated through a colorful, inventive, exciting and beautiful orchestral canvas."

Mussorgsky first wrote this piece after the death of a close friend, Victor Hartmann. Mussorgsky was deeply shattered by the passing of his friend, as he wrote: "Why should a dog, horse, a rat live on and creatures like Hartmann must die?"

When Mussorgsky later saw a memorial exhibit of Hartmann's work, he found the inspiration to write. Hartmann's work included sketches, watercolors, and costume designs, and those pieces turned into Mussorgsky's suite of 10 piano pieces. Mussorgsky's piano suite was deeply moving, but remained unpublished even five years after his death.

When it was finally published in 1886, pianists did not give it much thought, but a slew of composers sought after the piece to orchestrate it. Ravel has now become the most famous composer to do so. I feel he listened to Mussorgsky's work so closely and chose the perfect instrumentation for each emotion conveyed in all of the pieces. The promenade opens this great work, with the heralding trumpet as its guide, joined by the rest of the brass, and then by the whole orchestra.

In just that first minute and a half, it feels as if you are entering a great hall of art, gallantly walking through its rooms, at a pace that fits the pieces in the room; a regular stride here, a moment's pause there, perhaps a step back to take a second look at a piece that captured you. The promenade is brilliantly written in time to capture this feeling; organic and flowing to the strides of the those at the exhibition.

"Pictures" continues with many scenes such as "Gnomus," inspired by a Hartmann sketch of a wooden nutcracker; "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks"; "Catacombs," which Mussorgsky actually gave a Latin title "Cum mortuis in lingua mortua" (With the Dead in a Dead Language); "The Hut of the Baba Yaga" and the grandest of endings, "The Great Gate of Kiev."

Listening tip

Whether you have experienced the orchestral work before or if the January concert will be your first listen, I suggest first enjoying Mussorgsky's piano suite of "Pictures at an Exhibition" at home. It is admirable in its own right, and it would be great background knowledge before hearing the Tulare County Symphony perform Ravel's orchestration.

You will be able to identify some of the melodies and then see who Ravel chose to embody that melody. The color of the bassoon, the lightness of the oboe, flute, and piccolo, the surprisingly but perfect use of the alto sax, and the somber tone of the added euphonium all bring such beauty to the piece.

Athena is a member of the Arts Consortium.

How to attend

Tickets may be purchased at the symphony office, 208 W Main St., Visalia, downstairs in Montgomery Square. Tickets are also available online at www.tularecountysymphony.com or by calling the office at 732-8600. Prices range from $20-$39.50. Student tickets are $10.